Advocacy Update

CARA (Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act)

Last week, the House of Representatives passed S. 524, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 by a vote of 407-5.  The bill is now headed to the Senate and then to President Obama for his signature.  It has been almost three years since the bill was first introduced.

CARA would expand prevention and education initiatives, strengthen prescription drug monitoring programs, expand availability of naloxone and provide necessary training to expand treatment for opioid and heroin addiction. 

For details on the bill, click here.

Final Rules on Medication-Assisted Treatment Published

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued final regulations intended to increase access to medication-assisted treatment with buprenorphine products in physician offices.  The new limit, effective August 5, 2016 when the regulation goes into effect, will be 275 patients.  There are several eligibility requirements for physicians including having a current waiver to treat up to 100 patients and maintaining that waiver for at least one year.  Other requirements include being Board-certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry; practicing in a qualified practice; having no Medicare privilege revocations, and no violations of the Controlled Substances Act.  For full details, click here.